1.
CHARLES WARREN FASHION STORY "WILD THING CHARLES WARREN"
Exclusive Interview/Fashion Story "WILD THING CHARLES WARREN" is now updated!
Check inside for the Full Page Editorial
WILD THING CHARLES WARREN
Charles Warren a Montana native studied fashion design at Parsons in New York and Paris where he graduated with a BFA in Fashion Design in 2009.
During internships at Lanvin, Thom Browne, Pat McGrath and W Magazine in New York, Charles decided to open his design studio Charles Warren New York where he developed exclusive creations for private clients. Working personally with his clients allowed him to understand women’s individual and collective needs for what they wanted to express through their appearance.
For Charles Warren’s first collection, titled Projection, he drew inspiration from the Rorschach tests, the idea that we outwardly project ourselves, and how these impressions are perceived. The drama and intensity within the construction and designs of the collection juxtaposed with the light fabrics and delicate pleating and draping to represent a balance of hard and soft, strength and fragility.
The Autumn/Winter 2014 collection is made from Italian furs, silks, wool and leathers, each garment constructed using layered materials and volume, giving the collection varied textures. To highlight the texture, Warren carefully chose a dominant range of colors; cool grays, deep blacks, milky ivory and oxblood red with a trace of gold sparkle throughout.
1.What motivated you after four years to produce and show your own collection?
After working with private clients for a few years, it became clear that I was at capacity in terms of what I could realistically create. One of the biggest components of custom work is time, so while I had a fantastic amount of creative freedom, the scope of what we were able to produce - the volume - was limited simply by the nature of the very intense, personal, gradual process with the clients. I decided to venture into ready to wear at a time when I felt ready to apply the process I had learned with the clients to something new, and approach a bigger challenge with that same foundation.
2. What makes you stand out from other new comers?
I would like to think its less about me as a designer, and more about how women feel in the clothing. Whether it is to feel confident, celebratory, loved - whatever the reason - I hope my work imparts that to some degree.
3. How do you see your client wearing your collection, and where?
I’ve been asked that a few times, and after never really having a definitive answer it made me realize that I don't design for specific scenarios, social scenes, etc. My work is more about designing something that will evoke a response from the wearer - making her feel a certain way. Being able to trigger or heighten someones emotions through ones work is, in my opinion not only success, but also a very intimate dynamic. And even though it can be a beautiful, sparkly, glamorous process I take it very seriously, because at the end of it all, someone will put my ideas on their body, and my work will be with them in these different moments in their lives, whatever they may be.
4. What other passions besides fashion do you pursue?
Dinner parties, vodka and comediennes - in that order.
5. What do you think of the future of fashion, what is your prognosis on how dressing might change within the next 50 years.?
If only someone had the answer! I view my job as being somewhat reflective of whats currently happening, and being able to predict it in time for a delivery where there will be some resonance. What I see currently changing fashion more rapidly than anything else is technology - the way we view, embrace, and buy it… And very slowly we’re starting to see technology influence how we construct it. If we think about the similarities between 3D printing and knitwear, they absolutely share some of the same principles. I cant even imagine how production will evolve over the next five decades - maybe the sewing machine wont even be used - but, aesthetics aside, I can't help but think that technology will be the largest influencing factor of how we dress.
6. What would you like to change in today’s society ?
Pressure. I think our society would be vastly different if we weren’t under so much pressure - and we can see it in just about every aspect of society whether its political, social, economic, religious, etc. I think there's a large part of human behavior that is reactive and right now, as a society we’re reacting to so many different things, that we’re exhausted. On the one hand it's interesting to see how we crave so much escapism —magical thinking — but the impetus behind that, I believe, is the insane amount of pressure we’re under.
INTERVIEWED & WRITTEN BY: CORINNA SPRINGER
PHOTOGRAPHY: KINYA
STYLING: HISSA IGARASHI
HAIR: TOMOYUKI TAMURA
MAKE UP: CEDRIC JOLIVET
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: STONE
STYLING ASSISTANT: MEKO LIN, MARIE ARAI, DORA CHI
MODEL: SOLANGE WILVERT @SUPREME MANAGEMENT
related posts
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #2: Features Director: Stephen Fisher
FASHION STORY "Jena in Blumarine"
Jena from Wilhelmina in Blumarine's Fall 2013 collection.
Check inside for the Full Page Editorial
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #1: Fashion Editor Tina
1. Native Union Pop Retro Phone $125 - Throwback time - How chic would it be to sport this golden handset around town?
Ann Demeulemeester Leaving Her Brand
Ann Demeulemeester announced Wednesday that she has decided to leave her company.
Prada debuts Wes Anderson short film
TWELV HOROSCOPE SS14 #4: LILAC
Pastel shades are typical of the spring, this season one particular pastel hue floating down many runways is lilac.
Public School: Success in a Nutshell
Being considerably new to the fashion world as individual designers, the founders of Public School has definitely gotten off to a smooth start.
TWELV HOROSCOPE SS14 #3: BLACK AND WHITE
Black and white proved to have staying power for the spring. Some variation of the timeless combination emerged in almost every collection for the season.
TWELV HOROSCOPE SS14 #2: METALLICS
Stunning metallic sheens adorned the spring and summer runway for the 2014 season.
TWELV HOROSCOPE SS14 #1: GRAPHIC SEE-THROUGHS
Welcome to TWELV Horoscopes Spring/Summer 2014, as we lead up to spring the TWELV Fashion team will work hard to scavenge the runways to put together the hottest trends for spring and summer 2014...
Nicolas Ghesquière Named Louis Vuitton’s New Creative Director
Nicolas Ghesquière was announced as Louis Vuitton’s new creative director on November 4.
LAUNCH OF ISSUE 4 "MUSE" WITH LAKE BELL
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our fourth issue "MUSE" with beautiful cover girl Lake Bell!
DIESEL for SUCCESSFUL LIVING
Diesel's new Successful Living collection for Fall 2013 was not only revolutionary in its interpretations of what you need for your chic home, but in its production.
LOVE ME MORE, JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
At the corner where fashion meets fine art, there stands Jean Paul Gaultier, four decades of his glory and avant-garde haute couture all packaged into the beautiful Brooklyn Museum under the...
Art and Excess: Chanel S/S2014 Collection
Karl Lagerfeld’s SS 14 collection for Chanel was youthful and playful in its celebration of art and excess.
MARC JACOBS SAYS GOODBYE TO LOUIS VUITTON
Marc Jacobs “goodbye song” to Louis Vuitton was an extravagant experience meant to celebrate the “showgirl in all of us,” and boy did it.
Genius of Nature: Randomness and Pattern @ Aaron Faber Gallery
“Goldsmithing is the same act of creation as a plant growing or the universe expanding: it is organic, cosmic and perfectly natural,” describes exhibition curator Patricia Kiley Faber at Aaron...
DOLCE & GABBANA PAY TRIBUTE TO A GRECO-ROMAN DREAM
With so many designers changing up the color palette for Spring 2014, Dolce & Gabbana stuck to what they do best--creating beautiful awe-inspiring pieces, while showcasing romantic Greco-Roman...
The Meteorite Collection - David Yurman
TWELV was invited to join experimental jeweler, Evan Yurman, and visionary curator, Neville Wakefield, to celebrate the launch of David Yurman's new collection; THE METEORITE COLLECTION.
A New York Fashion Week Minute with Jonny Cota
Even during crunch time, Skingraft designer Jonny Cota happily opened up to TWELV about his first New York Fashion Week show.
Dior Homme's "Futuristic Elite"
Dior Homme opted for a short film titled “The Players” to showcase their Autumn/Winter 2013-2014 collection.
MEOW! THE GREAT GAULTIER AND OUR OTHER FALL2013 COUTURE FAVORITES
It’s that time again; New York Fashion Week is just around the corner.
Miley in Terry by Moscot
Renowned fashion photographer Terry Richardson has added his latest starlet to his repertoire of celebrities donning his glasses before the camera.
Marchesa Voyage Launch Party
Fashionistas from all walks of life assembled atop the Gramercy Park Hotel Thursday, August 15th, to celebrate the launch of Marchesa Voyage, the highly-anticipated diffusion line from designers...
FASHION STORY "BOYS KEEP SWINGING"
Fashion Story "BOYS KEEP SWINGING" is available!
Check inside for the Full Page Editorial
Holidays by Dior and Dior Homme
Ready or not, summer is almost over, which means holiday shopping is looming. Dive in with decadent designs from Dior and Dior Homme, who recently released their Holiday 2013 gift collections.
New Faces of G-Star
A Russian-trained ballerina and a Euro-indie rock star may seem worlds apart, but they have both been chosen to launch G-Star Raw’s upcoming Autumn/Winter ’13 campaign.
SHOCK THE WORLD
G-SHOCK by Casio held its annual “Shock the World” event and celebrated its 30th anniversary Wednesday night at Basketball City on Pier 36.
BEAUTY IN CONTRAST, A DAVID YURMAN EVENT
A glamorous rooftop soiree with America’s hottest model, Kate Upton, happened last Tuesday, July 30th to debut the new campaign for David Yurman “Beauty in Contrast” collection.
FASHION STORY "LOVE ME HATE ME LOVE ME HATE ME"
Exclusive Fashion Story "LOVE ME, HATE ME, LOVE ME, HATE ME" is now available!
Check inside for the Full Page Editorial
KOTOBA: Fashion Sustainability Meets Punk-Prep Knitwear
Representing absolutely no garment excess waste, made exclusively in America, and controlled attitude, Kotoba’s FW’13 Form & Allusion collection is hard not to get excited about.
GUCCI SYNC
Social networking is a way of life, no way around it. Gucci has launched a new fun and young watch, SYNC. Social. Young. Network. Community.
GUESS HOLIDAY PREVIEW
Red inverted triangle; stand-alone question mark; black and white iconic images – the GUESS headquarters in New York embodies its trademark symbol to a T.
ALAIA X TWELV MAGAZINE
Editorial Video, "BALLERINAS FOR TWELV" is now avaialble!
Check inside for TWELV's Ballet Editorial Video
A Queen Within
This autumn we will all be bowing to the queen as she rises in a new exhibit which will be held at The World Chess Hall of Fame Museum in St. Louis.